Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz said the government will adopt a new policy to halt drone strikes in the country. Addressing the National Assembly yesterday, he said Pakistan had earlier informed the US about its concerns and will continue to raise the issue at international fora. He said Pakistan considers drone attacks as a violation of its sovereignty. He said that there were 115 attacks in 2010, 62 in 2011, 45 in 2012, and 13 so far this year. Mounting pressure on the new government, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has submitted a resolution in the National Assembly, asking the government to take steps to stop drone strikes inside Pakistan. It also says the Nawaz Sharif government should ask the Obama administration to stop strikes inside Pakistan and bind it to pay compensation to the families of victims of drone attacks for casualties and damage to their properties and livestock.
Kerry postpones Islamabad visit
ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State John Kerry has delayed his visit to Pakistan because of the Syrian crisis, Pakistani officials said yesterday. The foreign ministry said last week that Kerry would arrive in the last week of June for talks on issues including the fight against militants in the northwest and Nato’s exit from Afghanistan. But no announcement of the trip was made by Washington and yesterday officials said it had been postponed.
World’s ‘most expensive suit’
ISLAMABAD: British- Pakistani Master Tailor Arshad Mahmood has produced a suit he claims to be one of the world’s most expensive, at $129,000. Mahmood, who has offices in London and Hong Kong, is from Mirpur in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, and learnt tailoring in Karachi in the 1980s. He recently showcased his talent at the launch of his ‘million dollar suit’ in Hong Kong. It is made of 22-carat gold stitching, a gold waistcoat and diamond-encrusted gold and diamond buttons.
Agencies
